1. Build mental armor with meditation
Mindfulness meditation works wonders to boost stress resilience. We teach them to focus on the present moment instead of catastrophizing about the future. After 8 weeks of meditation training, Marines became less reactive to stressors—plus they were more alert and exhibited better memory.
Take short mindfulness breaks.
2. Remember the tough stuff
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)—which helps you recognize and change knee-jerk reactions to stress triggers—is one of the most effective methods of managing PTSD. In the military, such training can include a technique called "exposure therapy," in which soldiers relive disturbing past experiences in small doses with a therapist until the memories become less overwhelming. Along the same lines, doctors have achieved promising results by asking patients who developed PTSD following an illness to imagine a relapse.
Imagine a moment of tension.
3. Bike for long-term resilience
Researchers are learning that exercise doesn’t just soothe stress, it also fortifies brain cells so they’re less vulnerable to anxiety in the future. Neuroscientists at Princeton University recently discovered that neurons created in the brains of rats that run regularly are less stress-sensitive than those in rats that don’t exercise.
While all exercise adds to your resilience, PTSD experts find that outdoor activities are particularly beneficial—especially cycling.
Sweat outside for 5 minutes.
4. Let a pet boost your health
New research shows that owning an animal is an even more powerful way to cultivate calm than previously thought. An astonishing 82% of PTSD patients paired with a service dog reported a significant reduction in symptoms, and 40% were able to decrease their medications, in an ongoing study at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The specially trained pooches can sense before their owners do when a panic attack is coming, and then give them a nudge to start some preemptive deep breathing. While we don’t yet understand why, we know the dogs’ presence affects serotonin levels and the immune system.
Bond with Dido.
5. Sleep to rebalance stress hormones
Sleep suppresses stress hormones, such as cortisol, and spurs the release of others, like DHEA, which plays a key role in resilience and protecting the body from stress. Yale University researchers tracked the hormone levels of a group of elite Special Forces soldiers who operate in treacherous underwater conditions and confirmed that higher DHEA levels predicted which divers were most stress hardy. Among women with PTSD, those with higher levels of DHEA have fewer negative moods, other Yale researchers found.
Do a nightly stress scan.
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